[Literature] Dickens, Charles. The Personal History of David Copperfield

London: Bradbury and Evans, May 1849-November 1850. 20 parts in 19 volumes. First edition, in original monthly parts, first issue (with "Lile" on p. 3 of No. VIII Advertiser). Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece, engraved vignette title-page, and 38 engraved plates by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). Lacking the following ads: No. 1 lacking pp. 23-26 in Advertiser at front; rear ad in Nos. VI, VIII (rare), X, XIII; first rear ad in No. XII; lacking slip following plates in No. XVI; lacking both ads at rear of No. XVIII; lacking all four ads at rear of Nos. XIX/XX. Publisher's limp printed green pictorial wrappers, soiling and wear, scattered repairs to spines, wrappers, and extremities, contemporary ownership signatures at top of Nos. VII, VIII, XI, XIV, and XVI, Tuckerman Institute ink stamp on front wrapper of No. X; scattered spotting to text; scattered foxing to plates; text of No. XII unopened; prelims at end of Nos. XIX/XX unopened; in brown cloth fall-down-back box; by Riviere & Son. Hatton & Cleaver, pp. 253-272; Eckel, pp. 77-78

First edition in the original monthly parts of Dickens's eighth novel, and his most autobiographical work. An enduring bildungsroman, Dickens considered this work, written during the midpoint of his career, as his "favourite child." As Eckel notes, the printing for these monthly parts was comparatively small, and were "much read and roughly handled," thus obtaining "fine, clean and unrepaired copies difficult to procure."

From the private library of Dr. David L. Harrar II, Sunnyvale, California

[Literature] Dickens, Charles. The Personal History of David Copperfield